Dave Allen’s Rise To An Unsung Hero

Dave Allen secured a memorable win over Johnny Fisher in their rematch, as we look at his rise. 

Allen had plenty to prove coming into the rematch, having arguably been robbed in the first fight. Allen outclassed Fisher with the cleaner shots, but came out second best with a split decision loss. Allen, who was once promoted heavily by Matchroom Boxing, saw him lose that mantle to Fisher. However, Allen produced on the biggest stage, knocking out Fisher in the fifth. Allen will now work closely with Matchroom Boxing once again, showing how far he has come in his boxing journey.  

Allen did not have an extensive amateur career, having had just ten fights. He entered professional boxing in 2012, securing ten wins on the spin to build up a following. He eventually secured a huge fight against Dillian Whyte in 2016. Whyte at that point was a world-level boxer, having lost out to Anthony Joshua. While Allen did not even have an area belt, he showed massive heart to take Whyte to the distance in his unanimous decision loss. He developed a reputation for punching hard, having a solid chin and grit.

His next fight was also against elite-level opposition as he took on  Luis Ortiz. Unfortunately, Allen was knocked out against the Cuban southpaw. Allen then had the chance to win a Commonwealth title, facing Lenroy Thomas twice. However, he came up short twice. During this period, Allen was vocal about his struggles with gambling and mental health. 

Joshua On Allen

But In 2019, Allen scored a massive win over Lucas Browne. A loss to David Price led to his retirement in 2020. He reversed his retirement a year later, as he lost to Frazer Clarke in 2023. However, the Fisher win was redemption, as Allen earned praise from former Unified Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua. 

“Dave was suicidal, a gambling addict who everyone thought was finished a few years ago. Now he’s got a family, a few hundred thousand pounds, and his biggest win. BOXING,” Joshua said